Vision – Knowing the times & seasons

In Acts 1:7-8 Jesus is telling His disciples that it is not for them to know the times (chronos) and seasons which the Father has put in His own authority, but “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…”

How much wasted energy and frustration have come by wanting to know the ‘WHEN?’  We pray for people and we don’t see change in our time frame, so we get discouraged and think God isn’t responding.  We cry out for change; for revival, etc… and instead of trusting God for the increase (which is His part), we lose heart.  We need to know OUR PART in the adventure of life with God. 

In I Corinthians 3:6, Paul says “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” 

II Corinthians 4:16a, “Therefore we do not lose heart…” v.18…”while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.”

We need to do OUR PART in partnering with God without doing God’s part.  That just brings on stress and striving to produce the results we want to see.  We are the vine, He is the branch.  We can’t produce fruit; only He can, as we ABIDE in Him. 

Have we allowed our western world mindset of vision/goal/purpose driven plans to define what God’s vision is?  Have we carried corporate and business world strategies into the church and into our personal lives?  We have a yearly vision/resolution, etc… and a great plan to carry it out to completion.  If we don’t see the results we think we are expected to see according to the standards set up around us, we start over, change the structure, have 10 new strategic points, etc.  If we can accomplish the vision with our own strategic and well thought out plans and power points, who needs  God or faith?  If we have a vision from God I guarantee it will LOOK IMPOSSIBLE.  If it looks reachable, it’s probably not God. 

I know there is balance in all of this; don’t get me wrong.  I have goals and plans that are my own that involve daily “stuff” like eating healthy, exercise, organizing my home, taking care of “the list”, but I’m talking bigger.  I’m talking God vision.

 Habakkuk 2:2-3 says, “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets that he may run who reads it.  For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.  Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

God’s part is to bring the vision ~ that He gives ~ to fruition.

What is our part then?  What is our stance in receiving the vision AND in receiving the fulfillment of the vision? 

                 In receiving vision, we are instructed to:

* “I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and I will answer when I am corrected.” Hab.2:1

* “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard from Me.” Acts 1:4

When we seek God, we find God, and God imparts vision.  In other words; wait, watch, pray and obey.

After receiving vision, this part is SO important.  What now? How do we wait? What is our stance? The nitty gritty….because we are “doers” right?  We have a need to stay busy don’t we?  We sometimes think we have to help God out by doing “stuff.”  Well, here it is…this is what we do:

* “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation.  The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.” Hab. 3:17-19

NOTE: The word joy here means ‘dance for joy, or leaping for joy; to spin around with intense motion’.

What?! I’m waiting for fulfillment….I don’t see any tangible fruit of it ever coming to pass…..and I’m suppose to be like….happy about that?!

 Nope, – not just a little positive confession kinda happy - YOU ARE TO REJOICE WITH INTENSE MOTION…

SPIN AROUND AND DANCE LIKE NOBODY’S WATCHING….

REJOICE IN YOUR GOD LIKE THE FRUIT IS ALREADY BEING MADE INTO WINE…. THAT YOU ARE DRINKIN’ ….KINDA HAPPY! 

Be encouraged today.  Stop looking at what you can see in the natural, and begin to dance yourself happy.  Your father dances over you with joy….why not join in with Him in bringing heaven down.  Your faith will grow, your discouragement will leave, and you’ll find yourself living in the promise that you were so worried would never come to pass.